Drama Queen Is An Understatement
by The All-Seeing Sharingan
Summary: [IchiRuki]He knew he would regret trying out for the school play, but his friends just wouldn't leave him alone. And now that he's been cast in the lead role, opposite her, of all people, he's not sure what to think. [May contain spoilers]
1. Auditions and Idiot Friends

Well, here's another IchiRuki story, or at least the beginnings of one. I've got a bit of a fetish for these two right now, and the idea for this came to me when I was just randomly singing a song from a Broadway play that reminded me of Ichigo and Rukia. I _was_ going to use that play for this story, but I decided on this one instead, mostly because I'm more familiar with Aida than Moulin Rouge.

Telling you right now: This story is NOT a oneshot!

That's right, this is a full-blown chapter fic.

This chapter took me probably four or five hours to write. It only took me that long because there were distractions like you wouldn't believe. Parents, hunger, and mostly script and lyric searches. I couldn't find a script, so I'll have to write certain things from memory, but I won't be putting in many scene details anyway. This story's main focus isn't the play, so I don't really have to worry too much about that, however, if anyone knows where I can find an online script, PLEASE send me a message telling me where I can find it. And I don't mean a site where I can buy a script, I mean a site where I can read it _online_. I would greatly appreciate it.

And now, exit stage left, and enjoy the show.

------------------------------------------------------------------

**"Drama Queen" Is An Understatement**

Why had he let his idiot friends talk him into auditioning for this stupid thing, anyway?

When it was announced that the school was going to perform the Broadway smash-hit "Aida," his first thought had been "Hell if I even _watch _this stupid thing," and now here he was, waiting to audition. In all reality, he hoped he wouldn't get any part at all. He had only come to get his friends off his back, he didn't actually want to do this. He was thinking of screwing it up on purpose; he had agreed to _audition_, he hadn't said anything about actually _trying_ to get any part in this play. Drama really wasn't his thing.

But all the same, he was sitting right here in the auditorium, waiting for the auditions to start.

When the drama teacher started to speak, he only become more adamant that he wasn't going to try. This woman was _nuts._

"Thank you all for coming to audition for 'Aida.' It is a beautiful story of a Nubian princess and an Egyptian general, who, despite their countries' raging war, fall in love, even though such a love is forbidden. The general Radames is engaged to marry the Egyptian princess Amneris, to whom he gives the captured Nubian princess Aida as a slave. Radames' father, the Pharaoh's Chief Minister Zoser, has been slowly killing the Pharaoh with adders' poison, so that when his son marries Amneris, Radames will rule Egypt, and through him, Zoser believes he can gain power over all of Egypt and its people. It is a tear-jerking story of love and deceit, and I hope that we can bring this tragic tale to glorious life. Now, if everyone is here and there are no objections, we may begin."

_Oh, yeah. She's crazy,_ he thought. _There is absolutely **no** way in Hell I'm going to actually put any effort into this._

He really didn't pay any attention to the auditions for Mereb, Zoser, Nehebka, or the Pharaoh, although Keigo's attempt at Zoser was hard to ignore. Ichigo hated to admit it, but it had to be said: His friend was _god-awful_. He had always known that Keigo couldn't sing, but never in his life had he thought that anyone could be _that_ bad! He was thankful when Keigo was forced off the stage by a thoroughly disgusted Uryuu. After that, he tuned out pretty much everything else.

The thing that held Ichigo's attention throughout most of the auditions was the conversation that the girls in his class were holding on the other side of the auditorium.

"Come on, Kuchiki-san, you should audition!" Trust Orihime to try and get Rukia involved.

"Oh, I don't know. I'm really not a very good actor," Rukia responded in her oh-so-fake "ditzy schoolgirl" voice, as Ichigo had aptly dubbed her charade. He nearly snorted. If there was one thing Rukia could do, it was act. Of course, there were a few people who knew that this persona was completely fake. Uryuu, Chad, and Orihime, to name a few.

"I'm sure that's not true, Kuchiki-san, I bet you could do it if you tried," Tatsuki interjected, her statement of confidence immediately backed up by the other girls in the small group.

"It would be fun! Please, Kuchiki-san? We're trying out, too, and doing this together would be great, come on!"

Rukia obviously didn't need much persuading.

"Well...Okay, why not?" Her response was met with enthusiastic cheers from the girls sitting with her, forcing a rare genuine smile out of her.

_Damn_, he loved that smile. It added beauty to her already striking features, and it always made _him_ smile, in spite of himself. In fact, lately he had been going out of his way to make her happy, just to see that smile on her face. Every time he saw it, it made him feel like everything he had gone through since he met her was worth it, like he would do anything to protect that smile.

He came back to reality when he heard Rukia agree, after a bit of prodding from Orihime, to audition for the lead.

_Wait, Rukia is going to try out for **Aida?**_

He knew she was a good actor, but the person playing Aida had to do a lot of singing, and he honestly didn't know if she could do it. He had never heard her sing before, so he couldn't say for sure that she was going to suck.

He also couldn't say for sure that she'd be any good.

He watched as she took her place on the stage in front of everyone, and held his breath while the drama teacher handed Rukia a script and put on the music for the duet song "How I Know You," and Uryuu was chosen to sing Mereb's part, much to Keigo's disappointment.

And from Rukia's first line of that song, Ichigo was completely spellbound.

There were no words to describe that voice; she was a better singer than anyone he had ever heard, and even that didn't do her justice. But with that voice, and the passion she put into the song, it was almost as though she _was_ Aida.

Even after she finished singing, Ichigo continued to stare at her, unable to tear his eyes away.

"I don't think there is any need for consideration; My dear, you _are_ Aida!" The drama teacher was ecstatic, and Ichigo fully agreed that there was no point in holding any further auditions for that role. Nobody could measure up to Rukia.

As cheers erupted from all of the girls who had been working to convince Rukia to attempt to snag that role, it took all Ichigo had not to join them. But, the girls quickly silenced as the teacher announced that there was one role still not taken.

_Hell if I let anyone else star opposite Rukia_. With that thought firmly in place, Ichigo left his seat and took his place center stage, shooting a sharp glare at Keigo, who had started snickering the second the orange-haired boy had stood up. At the teacher's request, Rukia went straight back up on the stage as the music for "Written In The Stars" was put on.

Ichigo groaned inwardly. It figured he would have to sing one of the love songs for his audition. But, it really didn't matter what song he was given, because now, he was going to get this part if it killed him.

He could hear Keigo's quiet laughter, but the other boy shut his mouth as soon as Ichigo's first verse came up. When he realized Ichigo actually _could_ sing, Ichigo saw him turn to Chad and hiss, "Since _when_ can Kurosaki sing like that?" Chad just shrugged, and Keigo sulked, knowing that there was no chance that anybody else would get that part, now.

Ichigo left the stage as soon as the music stopped, shoving his hands in his pockets and heading back to his seat while the drama teacher (He _really_ had to learn her name) gushed about how she had such talented actors here. Everything went quiet for a moment, and Ichigo realized that a few of his friends were staring at him.

"What?" He said, irritably, giving them a dirty look.

"Didn't you hear her, Kurosaki-kun? You got the role, you're Radames!" Orihime squealed, grinning widely at him.

"Huh. Whatever," he groused, but inside, he was thrilled. He wouldn't have been pleased at all if any of the other boys had gotten that part instead of him.

"Lucky...He gets to kiss Kuchiki-san," he heard Keigo mutter, which made him freeze in place.

_Kiss...RUKIA?_ Oh, damn.

"Rehearsals start tomorrow at one PM and carry on until five, so don't be late. And don't forget to pick up a copy of the script on the way out," the drama teacher chirped happily as the students started to leave the auditorium. Snatching up a copy, Ichigo made a mental note to never audition for another play again unless he knew what it would involve.

_I have to kiss Rukia?_ It was the only thought he had as he walked out the school doors and down the sidewalk towards home.

He knew Rukia wouldn't be happy about that either, but she couldn't very well back out, now. And neither could he.

He was a dead man.

_I knew I should have read the damn script first._

------------------------------------------------------------------

**Author's Note**: I get the feeling I'm _really_ going to enjoy writing this. Long as it took to finish the first chapter, it was a lot of fun, and I'm positive that my readers (Especially one in particular) are going to love this.

This entire story is dedicated to Kai, since she loves this pairing a lot and was the one who got me into it (And Bleach on its own) in the first place. And before you start bugging me about it, Kai, yes, I'm going to write a couple of IchiRuki drabbles for my Aitou no Shinigami collection. And yes, I'll get around to the IchiRuki Seven Deadly Sins collection, too, I promise. But until then, you'll have to be satisfied with this, which I'm sure you will be.


	2. I Have To Do WHAT?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter Two**

**"I Have To Do _WHAT?_"**

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The second he got home, he headed straight to the stairs to go up to his room. His father would never let him hear the end of it if he was told about the role his son had landed, let alone that Ichigo was in the school play at all.

"Ichi-nii! You're late, and dinner's on the table," Yuzu scolded from the kitchen doorway, where she was leaning against the doorjamb, her arms crossed, with a soup ladle in her hand.

"Not hungry, Yuzu," he told her, a weak excuse to keep him from having to join his family at the table. But his sister wasn't having any of it; she gave him a look that quite clearly told him that he had damn well better get to the table _right this instant_ unless he wanted the ladle thrown at his head.

"Come on, Kurosaki-kun, eating dinner with your family isn't too much to ask, is it?" Having placed her schoolbag on the couch, Rukia walked past Ichigo and into the kitchen without so much as a glance at him. "I'm sure you'll want to tell them exactly why we're late."

Ichigo's eye twitched. How _dare_ she disrespect him like that! He _didn't_ want to give his reason for getting home late, and at the moment, it _was_ too much to ask to sit down with his family and be pestered about the reason he didn't come right home after school, thank you very much.

"Ichi-nii. Kitchen. Table. _Now._"

Ichigo rolled his eyes at his younger sister, but, tossing his own bag carelessly onto the couch, he did as he was told. It didn't pay to get his sister annoyed. He had learned _that_ the hard way a year or so ago, when he had made some rude comment or other, and she had put enough curry powder into his dinner to make him sick all night. Actually, he had been quite sure that had been Karin's idea, but Yuzu's twin had vehemently denied it, and he had no proof, so he had left it alone.

"You're late, son," Isshin informed Ichigo as he took his place at the table, scowling, as always. His scowl deepened at his father's statement of the obvious as he tersely replied, "Thanks for that, Dad, I really didn't know."

His sarcasm got him a kick in the shin underneath the table from Rukia. And _that_ earned _her_ a glare and a hissed "I'll get you for that later," from Ichigo. She just smiled at him, and started eating without a word.

"So why were you late, Ichigo? You never stay after school," Karin asked him, not sounding even remotely interested, but as though she figured she had better ask anyway.

"None of your business," he grumbled, giving Rukia a "Don't-tell-what-you-know-if-you-want-to-live" look.

He should have known that she would do the exact opposite of what he wanted.

"We attended the auditions for the school play, Karin-chan," Rukia answered, ignoring the deathglare that Ichigo had fixed on her.

"What play is it, and what roles did you get?" Ichigo wished Yuzu hadn't asked that, because it was the perfect opportunity for Rukia to humiliate him, and he knew that there was no way in Hell she'd pass _that_ up.

"It's Aida, and I got the female lead," Rukia said with a grin that clearly stated her delight at being a star. "And your brother is-"

"The male lead," he cut her off, getting to embarrassing himself before she could. It would be a lot worse if she was the one to tell.

Isshin clapped his hands together and grinned widely at his son and the girl across from him. "That's great! The first time you kiss a girl, and it's going to be on stage, too!"

Rukia nearly choked on her food. Standing up, she stalked over to Ichigo's chair and dragged him by the shirt collar towards the kitchen door, smiling sweetly at Isshin and the two girls, and said "Would you excuse us for a moment?" Without waiting for an answer, she yanked Ichigo upstairs into his room and closed the door behind them, giving him a look that would freeze fire. Ichigo was sure that if looks could kill, he'd be six feet under right about now.

"_So_. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Ichigo swallowed hard. Rukia was scary when she got like this, and she wasn't going to take any nonsense.

"I have to _kiss_ you for this role? I never agreed to that! Why didn't you _tell_ me?" Considering her tone, her voice could well have been dipped in arsenic, and her blue-purple eyes held an enraged spark.

"I didn't read the script! How could I possibly have known that kissing you would be one of the requirements for that part? Believe me, if I had known about that, I wouldn't have auditioned at all!"

If he hadn't known better, Ichigo would have sworn that he saw her anger fade and a flicker of disappointment cross her face for a split second. But as quickly it vanished, her furious expression returned, although she couldn't quite keep the hurt out of her voice.

"Well, maybe you should let someone else have that role, then, if you don't want it," she told him, a little more bitterly than she must have intended.

_What the Hell was **that** all about?_ He asked himself, unable to find an acceptable answer. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Ichigo said, "I never said I didn't want this part, okay? Besides, it doesn't have to be real, it just has to _look_ real. We just have to make it look convincing, that's all. I can deal with that if you can."

The smile on Rukia's face told him that she had caught the underlying message in his words. "I think I can deal with that. But you had damn well better not screw it up, Kurosaki Ichigo."

He rolled his eyes at her, but the grin that had forced itself onto his lips didn't fade. "Same goes for you. But maybe we should practice a bit, just in case," he teased, bringing a tinge of pink to her cheeks.

He didn't get to admire how pretty that made her look for very long, however, because his taunt was answered with a pillow being forcefully chucked at his face.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Author's Note: **Second chapter is officially up. I know it's a bit sucky, but I'm sick, and my writing quality drops a LOT when I'm sick. Not quite sure what it is that I've got, but I know it involves my throat hurting like Hell. At first, I thought my mom was right, and it was just allergies, but my throat _never_ hurts all day when it's just my damn allergies. It's been killing me since I got up this morning-no, wait, make that yesterday morning, it's 1:54 now-and it hasn't stopped. But, that's okay. When I'm sick, I don't have to do much by way of work, and my parents do whatever the Hell I tell 'em to, so it's all good.

Expect chapter three to be up soon. And stop giving me those god-damned pointless reviews! I shouldn't have to say it so many times, IT IS PISSING ME OFF. DON'T DO IT.

In fact, as an added incentive NOT to do it, I'll say this: From now on, if you give me a pointless review, you'll be getting a rather scathing message _and_ a place on a list of reviewers that I don't like that I will post on my profile. I don't want to sound mean about it, but I have specifically stated in so many of my stories not to do this, and people ignore me and do it anyway. I'm sorry, but I've run out of patience for this blatant disregard for my personal preferences.

Thank you, and we'll be back soon with the third the chapter.


End file.
